Edgar Degas

Biography

Edgar Degas (1834–1917) trained in rigorous drawing, revered the Old Masters, and pursued modern urban subjects—from races to café-concerts and ballet. Though he exhibited with the Impressionists, he insisted on a controlled, realist construction of scenes, often synthesizing observations into complex studio compositions [5][6].

Themes in Their Work

The modern lens: urban life & speedClass distinction & status displayMimesis vs. abstraction (truth vs. artifice)Lasting vs. fleeting (ephemerality)Craft, skill, and techniqueThe gaze & being looked atGender as performanceEveryday life as artDignity of work vs. alienationSurveillance & control

Featured Artworks

The Ballet Class by Edgar Degas

The Ballet Class

Edgar Degas (1873–1876)

<strong>The Ballet Class</strong> shows the work behind grace: a green-walled studio where young dancers in white tutus rest, fidget, and stretch while the gray-suited master stands with his cane. Degas’s diagonal floorboards, cropped viewpoints, and scattered props—a watering can, a music stand, even a tiny dog—stage a candid vision of routine rather than spectacle. The result is a modern image of discipline, hierarchy, and fleeting poise.